Means for sealing storage-tanks.



G.' W. MERRILL.

MEANS FOR SEALING STORAGE TANKS. APPucATloN FILEnmAn. 24. 1917t @mmm my 21,1918.

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To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE WV. Mannini., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tulsa, `inthe county of rlulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful" Improvements in Meansfor Sealing Storage-Tanks, of whichthe following is a specication. .j j f vMy invention relates to improvements in meansfor sealing storage tanks, and it consists in the combinations, constructions `and arrangements herein described and claimed. An' object of my invention is tofprovidea Storage tank for volatile oils having means.

for sealing thejoint between the body portion of the tank and the roof, so as to prevent the escape of the gas.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for sealing the joints between the roof and sides of a storage'tank and at the same time providing means for conducting charges of electricity from the roof to the sides of the tank or vice versa.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sealing means of the type" men- "tioned, which is applicable to metal tanks of existing types, and in which the conducting means between the roof and sides of the tank also serve as retaining means for the sealing compound.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings whichform a part of this application, and in which: j i

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view through the sealing means of the tank shown in Fig. 1. a

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form of the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the sealing means shown in Fig. 3.

In carrying out my invention I make use of any of the ordinary metal tanks which are designed to hold volatile oils such as gasolene, benzin, kerosene and the like. Ordinarily the joints between the roof and the sides of these tanks are not gastight, so that considerable leakage of gas results. Furthermore, the escape of the highly iniammable gas renders the tank very liable to take re because of the fact that during specificati@ of netter-s raient., fill'atentedl May 21|, tata.,

Application ledlvarch 24, 1917.` -SerialvNioL 157,132. l i

electrical'storms these tanks become `charged j withstatic electricity. Sparks produced by the discharge of `this static electricity are `very apt' to ignite the `escaping gas "and therebyset fire to the tank;

Referring j, now to Fig. therein a storage tank having metal sides `l and a metal roof'2. `Forthe operation of sealing theroof of the tank, the metal covering of the roof is first removed andall joints 1 I have shown f and warped places arerepaired. The metal j coveringis thenreplaced 'to conform with the `wooden sheathing,- galvanized nails beingusedto hold the covering in position: i In all joints,nail holes and .other openings, and

also around gage :holes and pipe lines,\a fire `resisting cement is placed.v j

i For the sealing of the joint between the `sidel walls and the roof weuse a` specially prepared sealing compound which makes` a permanent gas-tight joint. While the co1n- `posltion `of this sealing compoundmay be varied, we prefer to use a sealing compound prepared from elastic, adhesive, water-proof gums with which is incorporated ya long fiber asbestos. This has great elasticity and resiliency and withstands heat and moisture.

In order to hold the sealing compound in position a backing 3, of IL shaped cross section is provided, the lower part of this backing resting upon metal brackets 4. The sealing compound 5 is lled in between the bracket 4 and the projecting edge of the roof in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This sealing compound is a poor conductor of electricity. In order to hold the sealing compound in position and at the same time to furnish a conducting medium between the bracket 4 and the roof 2, I provide an arrangement like that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which wires 6 are laced back and forth through openings in the edge of the roof 2 and openings in the bracket 4. These wires form ample means for conducting a charge of electricity to the roof from the sides of the tank or vice versa and at the same time they tend to keep the sealing compound in position. si

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of the device in which instead of using wire lacing, the retaining and conducting means consists of wire netting, 6". One edge of this netting is attached to the roofand the other to the bracket 4*. Both the lacing 6 and the netting 6X, extend entirely around the edge of the roof where it joins the side tially triangular shape -inv cross section, disposed in the angle of said L-shaped backing and havinga portion contacting with the under side of the roof and another portion 4:contacting with the backing supporting means.l

2. The combination with a metal storage f vtank'y having side walls, of a `backing of L- 7 l'shaped crosssection disposed exteriorly of the tank walls near the top thereof, aux- ,iliary means for supporting said backing, a -roof extending beyond the edge of said'backing, aplasticsealingcompound of substantiallytriangular shape in cross section, disposed: in the angle of said L-shaped backing and having a portioncontacting with the under side of the roof and another portion contacting with the backing supporting means, andv conductingv members extending yfrom said backing supporting member to theroof-for holding said backing material ductor from the walls to the roof, exteriorly ofsaid plastic compound.

3. The combination with a storage tank having metallic Walls, of a backing of L- shaped cross section secured to said walls near the tops thereof, metal brackets at the bottom of said backing for supporting the latter, said brackets being secured below the walls, a roof extending beyond the edge of said L-shaped backing, plastic sealing material disposed in the angle of said L-shaped backing member and extending beyond the outer edge thereof, said plastic material engaging the under side of the roof at its upper end and engaging the supporting brackets at its lower end, and a wire netting secured to the end of the roof beyond the junction of the roof with said sealing coinpound at its upper end and being secured to the brackets at its lower end, said netting being arranged to bear on said plastic compound for holding' the latter in position and also aifording an electrical connection between the Walls of the tank and the roof thereof.

GEORGE WHITMAN MERRILL.

` i .Copies of thispatent may be obtained forve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

